Woman charged in girl's beating might get visitation

A St. Charles woman who authorities say failed to prevent the severe beating of her young daughter won initial court approval today to have supervised visitation with the child.

Cathleen Koch, 28, is charged with aggravated battery and obstruction of justice in the October 2010 beating of her daughter, who was then 23-months-old. The child suffered brain damage, authorities said.

Although Koch’s former boyfriend is accused of striking the child, authorities also charged Koch, saying she failed to intercede on her daughter’s behalf and then lied about the child’s injuries to police.

Koch asked Kane County Judge Timothy Sheldon to allow her to see her daughter one hour a week, and only under the supervision of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

The judge granted the motion, although another judge and the DCFS will have to sign off before the visits could happen, authorities said.

Assistant State’s Atty. Joseph Cullen objected to any visitation for Koch, saying her actions put the child in danger.

At the time of the child was injured, the three were living in a Super 8 motel in St. Charles, while the boyfriend found money to feed his $300-per-day heroin habit, Cullen said.